Tips for your family to stay motivated—and sane—during the last weeks of school.
The end of the school year is a blur of activity. There are the fun things: end-of-year shows, field trips, awards banquets and graduations (from kindergarten on up). And, the not-so-fun stuff: standardized tests, finals and reams of paperwork for next year.
Get organized in advance
Make the last month of school less hectic by getting prepared and taking care of tasks that can be done ahead of time.
- Make a master calendar: Post a calendar of all end-of-school events in one place that everyone in the house can see. Send invitations (with times and places) to grandparents, friends and extended family.
- Get gifts in advance: There are Mother’s Day gifts, teacher gifts, graduation gifts and more. Buy ‘em and wrap ‘em now, so you’re not running to the store every day during the busy month of May.
- Take a clothing inventory: It never fails. You realize at the last minute that your child doesn’t have the right tights or tie for the recital (or special event). Put together outfits in advance—for you and your child—for each event you need to attend, and make sure everything fits. And, while you’re at it, look at the summer clothes and see if anything from last year (or even spring break) still fits your growing kids.
Set the stage for summer
Get everybody thinking positive starting some summer activities early.
- Sign up for Y family camps: Jump-start your summer by getting outdoors with the whole family.
- Camp du Nord in Ely, MN (May 11-14)
- Camp Warren on Eveleth, MN (May 26-29)
- Register for swim lessons: Get your kids ready for the beach and pool with Swim Lessons. The next session starts April 17.
- Schedule summer sports physicals: Doctors’ schedules fill up quickly when it’s time for summer sports physicals. Be ready for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball and more by scheduling your appointment today.
Keep the stress in check
To keep stress to a minimum, be sure you and your kids:
- Stay active: Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain, improves your mood and helps you relax. Consider a family bike ride or a family workout.
- Get enough rest: Pulling all-nighters before a test might seem like a good idea, but studies show that people who don’t get adequate sleep do worse on cognitive and memory tasks. Try these tips for better sleep.
- Eat nutritiously and eat with others: During stressful, busy times it’s easy to just eat on the run. But, slowing down and eating a nutritious meal with friends or family gives you a short period of downtime and provides fuel for your brain. Learn more about foods to eat when you’re stressed.